THIS is with reference to the report `Girl commits suicide after travel agent defrauds her of Rs5m` (Oct 10). The death of the young student in Islamabad following financial fraud by an agent during her study-abroad visa process is both tragic and alarming. As a study-abroad consultant, my six years of experience have taught me that students deserve transparent processes rather than misleading promises.

The market is full of fake agents and `counsellors` whose credentials have not been verified by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

There are three types of visas that are commonly sought: study, visit and work. The greatest grey area lies in work visas, where semi-literate clients are often unable to understand the complexities of the process. Agents exploit this vulnerability by charging multiple fees. For a single job opportunity abroad, they collect applications from multiple client s, making false promises and earning money through deception. Visit visas are another concern, particularly for applicants with weak documentation. Agents charge hefty fees, leaving clients vulnerable to exploitation.

Study visas present a different challenge.

Students generally pursue fully-funded or partially-funded scholarships. Those from middleand lower-income families often try to secure fully-funded scholarships, but gradually turn to agents for partiallyfunded programmes. This is where exploitation often begins.

Some agents offer services, demanding a lump-sum fee while guaranteeing visa approval. They may then resort to illegal means to fulfil their promises. In other cases, unverified agents ask students to transferfeeinto theirpersonalaccounts, and they disappear once the money is received. Some deliberately prolong the process until students lose both hope and money. This is a truly distressing situation.

One student told me that an agent hadcharged Rs1,000 for just seven university admission applications, without any further progress orguarantee of a successful outcome. Another said he had been trying to recover his money from an agent who had been`processing`his caseforthree years. A third person discovered that the nature of the job and the employment terms were entirely different from what he had been promised. It is unfortunate that people, especially students, do not educate themselves about the process.

A genuine consultancy process should begin with guidance on admissions, university requirements and visa approval rates. Once the student agrees to proceed, documentation should begin. The student should create an email account accessible to both him/her and the consultant for official correspondence. University offer letters should be received directly, and tuition fee should be paid into official university accounts. Visa fee and health insurance charges should likewise be paid directly through official channels.

The government`s response remains largely reactive rather than proactive.

Its focus appears limited to eliminating fake agents instead of streamlining the process through verified channels and platforms. The FIA is doing a good job by taking action against fraudulent candidates and conducting raids against fake agents, but this is not enough. Exploiting students who entrust us with their dreams is despicable. Families spend their life savings, make enormous sacrifices, and trust consultants with their children`s futures.

Consultants must act honestly, while students and parents must also exercise due diligence, verify credentials and make payments through official channels.

Chaudhary Aamir Sohail Sargodha